


Just Another LA Devotee

by BurntKloverfield



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015), Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Rock Band, BB-8 becomes Bebe the cat, Chewbacca becomes Chewie Bach, I've been listening to too much Panic! at the Disco, Starts out in New Mexico, The Force is music magic, There's implied Stormpilot I think, it's going to be urban fantasy in the long run, music is magic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2018-09-01 17:00:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8631709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurntKloverfield/pseuds/BurntKloverfield
Summary: Rey's a mechanic with an angel's voice in nowhere New Mexico. Finn and Poe are on their way to L.A. to make it big. First Order Records is more than it appears.





	1. Nowhere New Mexico

“I need to get out of here,” Rey muttered under her breath as a drop of oil fell on her cheek. She finally rolled out from under the dusty blue truck older than her and rubbed her cheek. She scrambled to her feet, patting the side of the truck, looking over to the window to the waiting room where the truck’s owner watched her. She raised her chin a little higher and walked to the other side of the truck to put her tools away. Being a female mechanic in the middle of nowhere New Mexico left her constantly needing to prove herself. It had taken months and the man’s truck literally breaking down right in front of her shop before the burly man finally agreeing to let her service it.

She brought the truck down from the lift and backed it out of her garage, grinning at the sound of the engine she had just repaired. The truck’s owner was already waiting to snatch the keys from her when she hopped out of the truck.

“It’s all up and running, now,” she chirped happily.

“I’ll be the judge of that,” he snapped, determined to prove her wrong. He revved up the truck, raising an eyebrow at the gauges. He suddenly kicked the truck into reverse, peeled out into the road, changed gear, and sped off down the dusty highway.

“Hey!” Rey shouted, hopping after him, stopping at the curb. “You’re not getting away with that,” she growled at the unpaid customer. She quickly went back inside her shop, grabbing the paperwork she had already started for the transaction, complete with the license plate number and what parts had been used. She snatched up her landline, dialed the police, and glared out at the road as she told them what had happened. Hanging up the phone, she felt the hot tears on her cheeks. She rubbed them away, knowing that she was smearing oil everywhere, but she didn’t care.

Suddenly, there was a purring sound and something nudged her leg. Looking down, she couldn’t help but feel her heart melt. The fattest white and ginger kitten she had ever seen was tumbling around her feet. She scooped the kitten up, laughing as it squirmed.

“You’re alright. I’m not gonna hurt you.” She managed to slip a finger through the collar and fiddled with it to find the tag. “Bebe, huh? Well, good news, Bebe. You’ve got a phone number for me to call.”

She set the kitten on her counter next to the phone and held onto the tag to make sure she got the right number. Cradling the handset between her shoulder and her ear, she pet Bebe. Just before the last beep, she heard a click.

“Hello?”

“Hi, I think I’ve found your cat?”

“Cat?”

“Yes. A little white and orange kitten? The tag says its name is Bebe. Just had a name and this phone number.”

“Uh, yeah, that sounds like the cat. Where are you?”

“Highway 331, at the Niima crossroad. Can I text this number? I can text you the address. It’s a mechanic shop.”

“Yeah. That’d be great. Thanks.”

“No problem. It’s an adorable cat.”

“Yeah, thanks for giving me a call.”

She hung up and fished her cell out of the pocket, copying the phone number into her contacts and sending directions. She laughed at the little smiley emoji that was sent back. She picked Bebe up and went to find the cat a bowl of water as she waited for the police and the cat’s owner to show up.

 

* * *

 

The police had come and gone, she had gotten proper payment from the jerk, and she was currently chewing on a cheeseburger, waiting for the cat’s owner to show up. She teased Bebe with a floppy french fry. She would’ve been irked, but she lived in a small apartment behind her shop, and her waiting room couches were comfy enough. Finally, a man awkwardly entered the waiting room, looking exhausted and dirty and at least partially dehydrated.

“Hi, can I help you?” Rey asked, getting to her feet.

“Yeah, I’m here about the cat?”

“I got him,” she nodded, scooping up the cat and rubbing his head. “I’m Rey, by the way. I don’t think I ever mentioned it.”

“Finn,” he answered.

“Hey, where’s your car? You could have parked right in front.”

“I walked—"

“You did not! It was over 100 degrees today! I called you hours ago! Where did you come from? Let me get you a water.” She promptly placed Bebe in his arms and dug into a mini fridge behind the front desk.

“I got in a car wreck. I think I got thrown—“

“You what!?” She stared at him with the water bottle now gathering an insane amount of condensation. She bustled back to him and thrust the water bottle into his free hand. “Are you okay?”

“Disoriented. Sore. Lost. I’m not from around here.”

“Apparently. Where’s your car?”

“I don’t know. I woke up on the side of the road. My friend, car, and cat were all gone.”

“Weren’t you able to call him?”

“No, this is actually his phone, and if he has mine, he’s not answering. And the cat’s actually his cat.”

“I think we should get you to the hospital.”

“Me too."


	2. You're Your Own Way Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally meet up with Poe. Everyone wants to leave, except for Rey. What will finally change her mind?

Rey glanced worriedly over at the man in her passenger’s seat, slumped against the door and nearly asleep. The cat was curled up on his lap, purring and nuzzling his hand. She turned into the county hospital parking lot. 

“Hey, Finn, we’re here.”

He wearily opened his eyes, taking in the scene of the hospital parking lot in the fading light. He shot up in his seat, startling Bebe who scrambled up onto the dashboard of her truck. 

“That’s the car! That’s Poe’s car! He must be here!”

Rey gave him a worried look as she parked. “I hope he’s okay. I’d hate for you two to get stuck here for too long.”

Finn looked back at her and nodded. “Thanks for the ride.”

“You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” she gave a friendly smile. “I need to make sure you’re okay and you can always crash on my waiting room couches if you need somewhere to stay. To be honest, the motel had a bedbug infestation a month ago, and they never actually got fumigated, so my couches are your best bet.”

Finn blinked and nodded. “Wow, thanks for the heads up.” He awkwardly hopped out of the truck, then grabbed Bebe and stuffed him in his jacket.

She followed him, making sure that her truck was locked. “Which car did you say was yours?”

“The one with the broken tail fin.”

“Ouch. That looks really banged up. Shiny paint job though. It kinda matches Bebe.”

“It exactly matches Bebe,” Finn laughed. “It’s Poe’s. It’s kind of his style.”

“Well, alright. If you guys need any work done on it before you leave town, you know where to go.”

Finn laughed. “We’ll only come to you. Poe’ll love you forever for finding Bebe.”

“Bebe actually found me.”

“He did?”

“Yeah, he just rolled right up to me and started purring.”

Finn nodded with raised eyebrows before entering the ER. Rey followed after him, letting him take the lead, glancing over the couple people in the waiting room. 

“Yes, uh, I was in a car accident, and my friend’s here?” Finn supplied the lady at the receptionist desk. 

She nodded and looked up at him. “Do you have any injuries?” She asked, grabbing a clipboard with paperwork for him. 

“No, I’m alright.”

“He’s probably dehydrated,” Rey interrupted.

“But no cuts or broken bones or anything,” Finn replied.

“You were out in 100 degree heat for hours, and you said you woke up on the side of the road.”

“We should probably get you checked out. Your friend was out for a long while and had some pretty bad cuts,” the receptionist decided for him, grabbing the pen and handing it and the clipboard to Finn.

Finn frowned at Rey but obligingly took the paperwork.

“We’ll get you in in a bit,” the receptionist told him then nodded to the couches and chairs awkwardly corralling a beat up coffee table and a tv bolted to the wall playing the local news. 

When they sat down, Bebe jumped out of Finn’s jacket and bolted into the back rooms. “Bebe!” he groaned, already chasing after him. 

The receptionist shot up to help, and the nurses inside were already trying to make sure not to step on the rolypoly cat. 

“Buddy!” a man shouted happily from a room, and Bebe shot inside. “Where’d you come from?”

Finn was skidding on the tile and lit up when he reached the door.

“Finn!”

“You’re alright!”

“Yeah, I am! Just a concussion. I was more worried about you when I woke up and they said you weren’t with me.”

“I got thrown.”

“And they didn’t find you? They just left you out in the middle of all that sage brush?”

“Can I help you?” a doctor asked from the doorway.

“Yeah, this is my friend Finn. He was in the car with me when I crashed. Can you check him out?”

“Sure thing.” He stopped. “Is that a cat?”

* * *

Rey sat on the couch, flipping through ancient magazines, humming to herself. The other people in the waiting room were an elderly couple, probably old ranchers, judging by the button up and boots the man wore. At last, a little girl and her mother wandered out to greet them.

“Look, grandma,” the little girl chirped. She flung out her bright blue cast. “It matches your turquoise necklace.”

The lady laughed and nodded. “Can I be the first to sign it?” she asked, digging into her bottomless purse to find a marker.

Rey smiled and looked back at her magazine, listening to their banter. 

Suddenly, there was purring and fur against her leg, and she scooped Bebe up.

“Hey, can you keep an eye on him, Rey?” Finn asked from the door.

She nodded, already cuddling him. 

“Ooh, can I pet her?” the little girl asked, dashing over to her. 

“Yeah, his name’s Bebe,” Rey smiled. 

The girl reached out with the arm in the cast, then laughed and used her other hand to pet the cat. 

“How did you break your arm?”

“Horseback riding. Grandpa’s giving me lessons.”

“Do you like it?”

The girl nodded. “Very much.”

“Come on, Katie, time to go.” The mother was stuffing papers into her purse and already heading towards the doors. 

“Alright. Thanks for letting me pet your cat.”

“No problem, Katie. Feel better soon,” she said with a smile.

The cat wiggled in Rey’s arms, but she kept a hold of Bebe as the family exited. 

It was at least an hour before Finn came out, followed by a taller man with bandages over his cheek and his collarbone. 

“Rey, this is Poe Dameron. He’s my friend I was telling you about. Poe, this is Rey who found Bebe.”

Poe didn’t hesitate to wrap Rey in a bear hug. “Thank you for finding my buds.”

“You’re welcome,” she laughed. “But they really found me. I just wanted to make sure they were okay.”

“Finn said you could fix up my car, too?” he asked, eagerly, letting her go and scooping up Bebe. 

“Of course. We can leave it here tonight, and I’ll get to work on it in the morning. I can give you a ride back to my shop. There’s some really comfy couches.”

“You’re the best,” Poe grinned, flashing the most heartfelt grin Rey had ever seen, and she was even more impressed by the fact that it looked like it hurt whatever cut was bandaged up on his cheek. 

* * *

Rey turned out of the hospital parking lot and glanced over her shoulder at Poe in the back seat. “So where are you two from, anyways?”

“East coast,” Finn answered.

“But the important part is where we’re going,” Poe grinned.

“And where’s that?” 

“L.A., the city of angels. We’re gonna get a record deal and make it big.”

“You’re musicians?”

“Mmhmm, Finn’s on bass. I’m on the keys. We harmonize vocals.”

“No lead guitar, and no drums?”

“You don’t happen to play, do you?”

“No, but I was lead vocals in a garage band when I was in high school. We always had dreams of leaving this place. Everyone else managed to get out to go to college.” 

“Do you still want out?” Finn asked.

“Well, yeah, of course, but I’ve got my shop.”

“Aren’t there like three other shops in town?” He was only being a little facetious. He was honestly curious about why there were so many mechanics in this little town.

“I’m still the best of them.”

“I’m not saying that. I’m saying that if you don’t leave now, you might not ever.” Poe leaned forward and set a hand on her shoulder. “If you fix up our car, and if you keep an eye on Bebe, I’ll give you free ride with us. Hey, if you can sing, maybe Finn can teach you guitar, and then we’d be a trio, and you can play with us, too.”

“But I’ve got my shop, and my truck, and…”

“What? You got family? A boyfriend?” Finn asked. “A cute boyfriend?”

Poe swatted his shoulder.

“No.”

Poe instantly glared at Finn. “Look, Rey, we don’t want to push you, but I can tell you’re not happy here.”

“You don’t even know me!”

“But we really appreciate what you’re doing for us,” Finn told her. 

"Look, boys, I appreciate you wanting to help, but I can take care of myself. I don't need anybody holding my hand."

"Alright, Rey, we'll drop it, but the offer's still open." Poe pat Rey and Finn's shoulders at the same time and sat back to cuddle back with Bebe. 

* * *

Rey enjoyed having the boys around. They brought light to her dull dusty life. Bebe woke her at the crack of dawn. Poe was already awake, walking in from a quick jog down to the diner and bringing back more pancakes and eggs than they could eat. She had gotten straight to work when the tow truck brought the crunched car to her shop. 

"How many modifications have you made to this?" She asked in awe leaning over the engine. 

"Enough to win every street race,” Poe answered with a grin.

“Well, it looks like you’ve won every street race.” She smiled at him and started writing down what parts needed to be repaired and replaced. 

* * *

While she worked, the boys had salvaged their instruments from the trunk and were now working through their sets in her waiting room. She kept the door ajar so she could hear them play, and she had to admit they weren’t half bad. She even found herself singing along to the songs they repeated over and over and over. 

The boys heard her singing, too. Soon, enough, they were peeking into the workshop, playing louder for her, listening closer to her. Bebe was even tumbling around like he was dancing. 

“You can’t just sing like that and then tell us you’re not a star!” Poe laughed breathlessly, leaning against the workshop doorjamb after finishing the song. “Your voice is amazing!”

Rey rolled her eyes. “Not good enough to get on American Idol.”

“You tried out for that?” Finn gaped. 

“Yeah. Didn’t get past the prelims.”

“Where are you from, by the way?” Poe asked. “Your accent’s not…southern.”

“I’ve lived in nowhere New Mexico since I was 5,” she answered before rolling underneath the car. “I don’t remember before that.”

Poe nodded thoughtfully and returned to practicing on the keyboard in the waiting room. 

“Could you pass me the socket wrench?” Rey asked, rolling out from the car. 

Finn rushed over and looked awkwardly at the array of tools laid out. 

“The socket wrench.”

He picked up a screwdriver and offered it to her.

She raised an eyebrow. “The socket wrench.”

He put that back and picked up a silver tool that he recognized from a plastic toy set he had when he was little and offered it to Rey.

“That’s a wrench…”she said and then pointed up at the cabinet. “I need the socket wrench.”

He finally picked up the right wrench and handed it to her. 

“You’re no handyman.” She promptly rolled back under the car. 

He retreated to the waiting room and returned to rehearsing. 

Rey didn’t hesitate to join in this time. She knew their song by now, and she was already in love with it. 

“Rey!” Poe shouted, stopping everything, and there was a sudden cacophony of clanging metal as various tools fell back to the floors and cabinets.

She thrust out from under the car, wide-eyed. “What?”

“Everything was levitating! Your singing!” He dragged her up to her feet. “Come sing with us and see!”

She looked at Finn absolutely confused. Finn’s face was lit up in the biggest smile. 

They started back into the song they were playing before, and Rey hesitated for the first couple of lines, but she joined in. It wasn’t until she closed her eyes to ignore their eyes on her that she really got into it. 

She felt Bebe on her feet, and she looked down. She started into the chorus, and her eyes trailed over the various floating things in the room, including magazines, guitar picks, coffee cups, the landline phone, and even the couch cushions. She looked back to the boys who were grinning back at her through their own harmonization. She trailed off, and the items plopped down. She sat down on the nearest couch, covering her mouth in awe. 

“I’ve only seen old 70s and 80s singers do that,” Poe told her. “Well except Finn, here.”

“No, all of mine have been flukes,” Finn excused. “Hardly an inch. Your’s are feet in the air!”

“What was that?” she asked.

“That, my Rey of sunshine,” Poe grinned, “is what is called the Force. It’s what resonates inside you when you hear a song. It’s that string that connects everything. It’s that energy that you feel when you’re in a crowd. And you’re a siren. You’re one of the ones who can put ripples out in it. Your singing makes things happen.”

Rey’s hand hovered over her mouth, fingers brushing her lips. “I’m no one.”

“You are your key out of here,” Poe said, kneeling in front of her.


	3. Sing It Loud

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Road Trip!

“But I’m no one!” Rey insists, looking around her shop. 

“You just levitated objects with your voice,” Poe said, waving his hand around. “Not everyone can do that.”

“But just because I can do that doesn’t mean that I’m a star or—“

There was a sudden knock on the door before a large, sweaty man dressed in denim overalls entered. “Rent’s due,” he growled in a low southern drawl.

Rey glared at the man and stalked over to the counter with her computer and locked money box. “I’ve got your money, Plutt.”

“Fourteen hundred dollars,” he specified as he watched her unlock the box.

She spun to face him. “That’s twice what it was last month.”

“Taxes have gone up, Peach,” he sneered, leaning on the counter. 

Finn recognized the chunk of chew held between the man’s nearly non-existant molars and winced when he spat on the glossy auto parts magazines littering the counter. 

“I’m not your peach,” Rey snapped, slapping down a stack of bills in front of him.

Poe raised his eyebrows when the man made a show of counting the money, leaving greasy black fingerprints on the corners. “Fourteen hundred, Rey,” he growled. 

“We have an agreement,” she growled.

“Fourteen hundred, or you’re out.”

Finn could have sworn that she was just about to hurtle over the counter and beat the man senseless, but instead she looked over at Finn and Poe. 

“I’m out,” she said, slamming the money box closed, locking it. “I’ll be out by the end of the week.” She finally looked back at Plutt. “Now you, get out.” 

He blinked his beady eyes a couple of times before he laughed. “Don’t come crying to me, girl, when you’re out on the streets.” He turned and waddled out.

She turned back to the boys. “You boys are gonna help me get out of here?”

“Of course!” Finn nodded.

“There are empty boxes in the closet,” she said pointing to a door next to the bathroom. “You’re helping me pack.”

* * *

The car was fixed, and all of her possessions were packed, and it had only been a day. Rey didn’t have a lot of personal things, and the sudden interaction with her nasty landlord had spurred her to finish the car faster than any other project she’d finished before. 

In fact, she was ready to go before Poe was, as Poe had gotten inspiration for a new song and was furiously scratching it down in a notebook as she was tossing the last of her boxes in the back of her truck. 

“You can fit all your stuff in a dozen boxes,” Finn mused.

“Half of those are my tools,” Rey nodded. “It’s not like I need a lot. It’s just me.”

“Why are you bringing your tools anyways?”

“Those are expensive, Finn. If things don’t pan out with this thing, I can at least fall back on this.”

“Alright buds!” Poe chirped, stuffing his scrawled music into a folder and dashing to the car. “Let’s hit the road!”

“Just follow us, Rey,” Finn smiled, hopping into Poe’s car. 

Rey smiled and opened her car door, stepping up, and then pausing. She looked around, wondering if she would miss this place. She laughed at herself and shook her head, slipping into her truck and firing it up. She most certainly would not miss Jakku, New Mexico.

* * *

The road trip was lonelier than she’d thought it’d be for the first several hours, with her following behind the men. She sighed gratefully when they pulled into a roadside diner, eager to talk with them again. 

“It’s Finn’s turn to drive after dinner,” Poe said, stretching his arms over his head as they walked across the parking lot. “Do you mind if I chill with you? It’s going to get dark soon, and I don’t want you falling asleep.”

Finn shot a glare at Poe. “What about me?”

“You’ve been asleep for most of the trip. You’ll be fine.”

“But I need a pilot!” 

“You can drive a car,” Poe laughed. “Besides, you’ve got Bebe. He’ll keep you awake. And we’ll be right behind you. And we’ll stop at a motel when we come across one.”

Finn sighed but nodded and followed them into the diner. 

“So am I learning drums or guitar?” Rey asked as she looked at her menu.

Poe and Finn looked at each other. 

“Guitar, probably,” Finn said. “You can’t sing behind drums.”

“I mean, you can,” Poe said thoughtfully, “but what we’re going for is power, and it’d be better to have the girl front and center, rather than set back behind everything.”

“So, is…what I can do normal? I mean, it’s happened a couple times before, but only like when I sang with my garage band in high school, and only like on a really really good jam. None of the others could do it, and like they never really seemed to notice,” Rey said, setting her chin in her hand. 

“Well, it’s not really common,” Poe said. “Like Finn can do it, but he’s not nearly as good as you are with it.”

“I didn’t even know I was doing that until I ran into Poe.” 

“Well, I only really know ‘cause I’ve heard stories. Like my dad hung around some local bands, and the really good ones, the ones that sent shivers up your spine and you just had to have their shirt, those were the ones who could do that. There’s not a lot of people who can do that anymore. Like you can have a great voice, and not have the magic.”

“Like you?” Finn asked with a nudge.

“Yes, exactly like me,” Poe said, grinning and throwing an arm around Finn’s shoulders.

“So it’s rare…” Rey mused.

“What can I get you, huns?” a lady asked, reeking of cigarettes, flipping open a little notebook. 

“The burger, and a coke, please” Rey said, pointing to the menu.

The waitress noted it down and then turned an eyebrow at the men. Finn ordered and handed the lady the menu with a smile on his face while Poe rattled off his order, adding a huge order of chili cheese fries for them to share. 

“But yeah, you’re a gem, Rey,” Poe said, fiddling with a sugar packet. “Like if any of us are going to make it big, it’s going to be you.”

“Yeah, you’re pretty, and you have an amazing voice, and you’re an amazing person,” Finn added. “The fact that your singing does this is just the icing on the cake. It’s what brings it all together.”

Poe nodded, taking his arm back from around Finn and opening the sugar packet. “You’re really going somewhere, Rey. I’m excited to see where.” 

Rey felt her nose turn red. She looked down at the table and started to fiddle with a napkin. “How’d you two meet?” she asked, effectively changing the subject. 

“Well, uh,” Finn rubbed the back of his neck. “I had gotten a nasty ticket after I crashed my car, and to get it off my record, I needed to go to this defensive driving class thing.”

Poe laughed. “He had gotten into an accident, I just got caught going 20 over in a residential zone. I was smoking the guy I was racing. He was far enough behind that he saw the cop pull out after me and slowed down. Ended up in the same class. Sat next to each other, hit it off, now we’re a band.”

“So Finn was driving when you guys crashed?” Rey asked, cheeky little grin showing.

Finn rolled his eyes. “Unfortunately…”

“Are you sure you want him driving your car?” Rey looked at Poe.

He held up his palms. “The kid can drive a car fine."

“Yeah sure,” Rey rolled her eyes. 

* * *

They stopped for the night at a roadside motel that looked still very lively. It was actually Rey who had pointed out the large tour bus sitting outside the next door bar. 

“That bus says Millennium Falcon!” She shouted giddily, waking up Poe. “I love them! I have a bunch of their tapes!”

Poe blinked blearily, sitting up to look at the bus in the evening light. “Millennium Falcon?” He suddenly sat up straight. “No way! We’ve got to stop!” He was promptly dialing Finn’s cell to tell him to pull into the parking lot. 

“I can’t believe it!” she repeated, pulling up to the bar’s section of the mutual parking lot. 

“Yeah, Finn, we’re stopping here for the night. Mmhmm, yeah, the bar says Maz’s Cantina. Meet us over here. Who’s the Millennium Falcon? Bud, you get over here, and I’ll tell you all about the Millennium Falcon.” He chuckled as he stuffed his phone back in his pocket. 

“It looks like they might actually be playing the bar!” Rey observed.

“Do you think so?” Poe wondered, opening his door when Poe rolled up beside them. “It sounds like it,” he grinned. 

“So who’s Millennium Falcon?” Finn asked, making sure Bebe had a bowl of water before cracking the window and shutting the door. 

“They were really big when my parents were young,” Poe explained as they sauntered up to the building. “There’s only Han Solo and Chewie Bach, right now, but in the hay day, they also had the twins, Leia and Luke Skywalker.”

“Wait wait wait,” Finn said dashing in front of them. “Luke Skywalker. The Luke Skywalker? The one who’s running Alliance Records?”

“No no no, Leia’s running Alliance Records right now,” Poe told him. “Last thing I heard, Luke ran off and became a hermit or something, hiding out in like the Wasatch Mountains or something like that. Nobody’s seen or heard from him in years.”

“History lesson later, boys,” Rey decided, grabbing Finn’s hand and dragging them inside. 

It wasn’t what Rey had expected. It was most certainly Han Solo, the man on most of the old faded cases of her cassette tapes, and it was definitely hairy Chewie on the drums, but it wasn’t the head banging rock or the upbeat 80s pop she knew by heart.  The music was a soulful melody that made her feel like she was about to cry. It brought every pain up to the surface, and she froze inside the doorway, staring up at a childhood idol. Han’s voice was lower and more gravelly now. He looked weathered and gray, and Chewie looked happier to be up there than Han did. 

“Well look at that,” Poe mused, hands on his waist. “It’s actually them.” 

“He’s not like us, is he,” Finn asked. 

Rey shook her head. “No, but he’s good.” 

“You’re crying,” Finn said, surprised. 

“It’s a good song,” she explained, rubbing away the tears with the back of her hand. 

“Let’s sit down and listen,” Poe offered, setting a hand on the smalls of their backs and directing them to a table in a corner. 

Nobody seemed to be listening to Han and Chewie except for the little group in the corner who stared up at him starry eyed, all too young to be one of the original fans. As he finished the current song, he nodded to them. 

“It might be time to liven up the place,” he grumbled into the microphone, flashing a smile, and he turned to say something to Chewie. Immediately an upbeat drum bass line started up, and Han started into the opener. 

Rey looked excitedly to Finn and Poe. “This is my favorite song!” she chittered. 

Poe laughed. Rey looked like she was about to explode with light. This woman was more overjoyed than he thought possible for someone who looked so small. He was surprised that she waited until the chorus to join in singing with Han. Han’s eyes widened, but he didn’t stop singing. A couple others had joined in with a humming mumble, but Rey’s voice was clear and complementary. When she stopped after the chorus, Han stopped. 

“Now, sweetheart, you can’t just grace us with your voice and then stop. You get up here and join in,” he said, nodding at her. When she froze, he pointed directly at her. “Yes, you, with the buns.”

Rey hesitantly touched her hair, and Finn grinned. He grabbed her hand, and he nudged her to run up to the low stage. 

“Well, Sweetheart, do you have a name?” Han asked. 

“Rey.”

A microphone was pressed into her hands by two large hairy hands, and she stared wide-eyed up at Chewie who nodded back at her. 

“Well, Rey, you’ve got a good voice. You know the song. Can you sing a duet?” 

There were a few chatters through the tables.

Rey nodded, grinning, lighting up the entire room. 

“Alright Chewie, you know the one!”

Finn looked right at Poe as they started singing. “This is awesome!”

Poe nodded. “Thought you’d like them.”

“They’re amazing. And Rey’s voice!”

In fact, the Force was already lighting up the gloomy bar. Things weren’t hovering, but the lights were getting brighter and people were looking up at them and a small lady came out of the back to watch. 

The Force had set many things in motion, but in that moment, Rey knew she was exactly where she needed to be.  


	4. Getting on the Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No more solo Solo

Rey giddily walked over to the table where Finn and Poe sat, Han and Chewie trailing after her. 

 

“Well, kids, I heard you’re all a bunch of fans,” Han said, sticking a thumb through his belt loop, and taking a seat from another table and spinning it to join them. 

 

Chewie followed suit but sat a little ways back. He was large, and he had more hair on his body than Finn thought was physically possible. 

 

“Big fans,” Poe said with a grin, his hand shooting out towards him for a handshake. “Poe Dameron. Good to meet you.”

 

Han looked at the hand for a moment, then chuckled. “Good to meet you, too, kid.”

 

“And this is Finn,” Rey said, gesturing to him, and taking a seat between Han and Finn. Finn gave a wave and a smile. 

 

“You kids live around here?” Han asked, nodding at a waitress who brought over drinks. 

 

Rey smiled and shook her head, but it was Poe who sat forward and set his elbows on the table.

 

“No, we’re actually headed to Cali to audition for Alliance Records,” he explained.

 

Han raised his eyebrows. “I believe the girl’s got a chance, but what about you two?” he asked, nodding to the boys sitting across the table from him.

 

“I think they’re good,” Rey offered.

 

“Psh,” Finn grinned. “He’s one hell of a pianist.”

 

Poe clapped a hand on Finn’s shoulder. “Thanks buddy.”

 

“So, you’ve got vocals and keyboard and…”

 

“Bass,” Finn supplied.

 

“And bass,” Han frowned, “and you three think you’re going to get a record deal?”

 

“We’ve got hope,” Poe said with an optimistic grin. 

 

“No, he’s got a point, Poe.” Rey grabbed a breadstick from the center of the table. “We’re a mess.”

 

Han Solo put his feet down on the ground and leaned forward. “Look, if you want, I could help you get a foot in the door at Alliance, but I am not joining your band. Once you’ve got connections, Leia will be more than willing to help you fill out any missing members.”

 

“Solo, you’re not just going to leave them at the door, are you?”

 

“Hi, Maz,” Han greeted, rolling his eyes.

 

“The girl’s got talent. You can’t just leave her at your wife’s door.” The little, tan woman distributed drinks, saving Han’s for last, making sure to splash it a bit. It earned her a grimace from Han, but she smiled back. “You miss her, and I’m sure she misses you.”

 

“She doesn’t want to see me.”

 

“You’re just afraid. These kids will help you out, I’m sure.”

 

Han looked back at Chewie, whose beard was speckled with foam. Chewie gave Han a look, and Han threw up his arms. “If you’re all going to be like that, I’ll go.”

 

Rey smiled, though she wasn’t really sure what had just happened. 

 

“Look kids, I’ll go with you to Alliance Records, get you in to see Leia, she’ll set you up. Once you’re there, how far you go is up to you. I’m not doing any gigs with you. I’m not gonna give you any celebrity endorsements. I’m not gonna come out of retirement to push you guys up the ladder of fame. I’m getting you there, and then I’m gone, understand?”

 

“Understood, Solo,” Finn nodded.

 

“Did you just call me Solo?”

 

“Sorry, Mr. Solo.”

 

Han shook his head. “Whatever, Hot Shot.”

* * *

Late that night, after the boys had claimed a room, and after Han and Chewie had retired to their tour bus, Rey found herself wandering from her own room back down to the bar. Little Maz was washing glasses, and a drunkard was passed out in the corner, but it was empty and quiet. 

 

“It’s a bit late, ain’t it, Miss Rey?” Maz asked, setting a glass on the drying rack. 

 

“I was just wondering if you were still serving food?” Rey asked.

 

Maz smiled and nodded. “What are yah wanting?”

 

Rey shrugged. 

 

“Let me get you a sandwich.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“You’re not just looking for a sandwich, are you?”

 

Rey shook her head as she watched the little woman putter around the kitchen.

 

“You want to talk.”

 

“Yeah,” she said with a nervous laugh.

 

“Go on, speak what’s on your mind.”

 

“Everything’s just changed so fast,” Rey sighed, resting her chin in her hand. “Just a few days ago, I was wondering how I was going to pay rent, how I was going to keep my shop going.” She trailed off. 

 

“Now you’re off on an adventure,” Maz prompted, handing her a plate.

 

Rey nodded and bit into the sandwich. She was quiet as she chewed. “It’s better than where I was…”she took another bite.

 

“But your future is uncertain.”

 

Rey nodded, thinking. “Am I really…good?”

 

Maz grinned and leaned forward. “You’re amazing. This place hasn’t had that sort of energy in years. You brought it back to life, even for a moment. You’re going to be a star, and you’re going to have your name up in lights. You are really good.”

 

Rey smiled and felt her cheeks redden. “Thank you.” 

 

“Believe me, Rey, you are.”

* * *

The caravan started off early the next morning. The tour bus took the lead with Poe and Finn in the middle and Rey in her truck taking up the rear. It was a long drive through desert and small towns. Before she knew it, they were crossing the California Arizona border, and it still felt like a dream. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
